Taxotere is a nightmare

Paula1231

I also used Desitin for the diarreha on my bottom as well.  It makes a nice barrier and is easy on the tender parts.  I also use have those Wal-mart brand hemorroid wipes, as right after the runs I get constipated, and wouldn't you know it, Adey, the active ingredient is witch hazel.  I wish I had known about the spritzing a bit earlier!

Fighter_34

Getting my last Taxotere this Thursday and I must say I tolerated things pretty good. Most of my side effects were doable and didn't need meds for anything. Thrush was the only thing that got me and I can't wait for that to come and go for GOOD. 

After Thursday I plan on claiming HEALTH and move forward with my live.

tracie23

Hi Girls, I had Tax on Thursday and I am a bit out of it today. I can barely see my eyes are so blurry... my feet have been super cold all day long and they hurt walking on them. my hands are sore to. I have been drinking a vitamin supplement (Vibe) since Friday so my taste buds are in check help with having a little more energy and my dark ugly nails are starting to lighten. I did take the advise of sennokot and meralax so I don't feel like I am trying to give birth everyday..there is nothing like having chemo and feeling like your going to have a baby all at the same time  . I only wish men knew how easy they really had it LOL.

By the way I have watched every episode of Law and Order (All the Law and Orders) so if you need to know how to be a witch dr. and kill people , murder your wife / husband, take out the mob , have your wife or husband kidnapped and know how to get them back with someone Else's ransom money or just be an angry cop I am here all week!!

IllinoisNancy

Hi Tracie,

I hope you start feeling better soon.  I'm getting my second Taxotere on Wednesday and dread it. However, there is a huge snowstorm heading our way and it supposed to hit us tomorrow and Wednesday so it may be cancelled.  That doesn't make me happy either because it would push my surgery back if I don't get it this week.  I am finally feeling good after 3 weeks of pain.  I am also worried I won't get my hair back.  I didn't even know that was a possibility until I read it this weekend. 

Take care,

Nancy

TonLee

Ilinois, there is a woman (from England by the sound of her) on youtube that took Taxoterrible and never got her hair back...if you go there and type in Taxotere, you'll find her....scary stuff.

imbell

Haven't read all the posts but my experience with taxotere was an allergic reaction. One treatment put me in bed with mouth sores, thrush, sores everywhere else and a destroyed gastrointestunal system. Therefore, when taxol was suggested this time, I went how about abraxane? Taxotere and taxol are both products of the yew tree. One is the needles and the other one is the bark. I am going to try to avoid either one.

Ang7

There is a site called Taxotears that is just enough to make you cry...

I feel so bad that it seems most oncologists do not even mention the possibility of never getting your hair back on Taxotere...

My oncologist did not bring it up until I brought information to her about it and directly asked her if that was possible.

lago

IllinoisNancy they think that the probability of your hair not coming back on taxotere is 3-6% but they really don't know for sure since the just started to take notice. I look at it this way… it's better than dying. Yes  sucky choice but at least you can wear a wig and tattoo brows. Dying has no cover up. I do hope it comes back for all of us.

tracie23  SE suck. I thought I was going crazy when my eyes started to do wierd things. They are still doing some weird stuff. I stopped driving on the days they were really wierd. I never did find a remedy for the sore feet but once I started taking the 500mg of Acetyl-L- Caritine I never got the SE after tx again. Currently my nails are painted with black nail polish. I need to redue them but scared to see what they look like underneath. They looked pretty crappy a week ago. I can only imagine.

-------------------------

yew tree… why would anyone think to make a drug out of it?

marjie

Last chemo (taxotere) on Wednesday...YAY!  I am going to talk to my onc tomorrow about the watery eyes because they are so bad now that I can barely see.  Makes driving and even walking kind of dangerous.  DH and I were grocery shopping today and I literally had sheets of tears streaming down my face - DH was laughing at me and when people would look at me he'd say things like "I don;t care if you have cancer - I said NO COOKIES"

Funny or not, I find the edges of my eyes are getting crusty and sore.

As for the hair growth, I'm with Iago - I guess in the whole scheme of things, my hair isn't that important. That being said though, mine has started to grow back even as I started taxotere so...so far so good

Met with my rads onc today and we are all set up to start on March 2nd.  He asked lots of questions about how I managed through chemo.  He also mentioned that the ice mitts and booties that I have been wearing through taxotere also help to avoid or lessen the numbness (neuropathy??) and foot pain as well as nail issues.  I have had no problems at all.

mtri111

Dear all,

As a researcher, former cancer patient, and a participant at bc.org boards, I have become interested in learning more about patients' reactions to the  information they receive as they are diagnosed and presented with treatment plans that involve chemotherapy.

This interest has led to the development of a survey that asks about experiences with patient education materials provided at oncology centers across the nation.  This is a formal study, and the research protocol has been approved by the Institutional Review Board at Brown University, where I am on the faculty of the Division of Biology and Medicine.

The survey is anonymous and brief.  It will take you about 15 minutes to complete the survey.
To participate in this research, here is the link:

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/PatientEducationMaterial

Your participation will add to the body of information on this topic and is intended to contribute valuable data regarding patient education materials for oncology patients.

Above all, I hope you are well.

Warmest regards,

Marjorie

Adey

marjie--  That is hilarious!  Now I have to take my DH and have him say that to me.  (c: 

LadyinBama

Marjie: LOL, sounds like something my DH would do. I'm glad we are keeping them entertained He told somebody at church Sunday that he rubs my bald head for luck.

My eye doc put me on steriod eye drops; cleared up the tearing in about 3 weeks.

lago

marjie my eyes started watering this tx too. I went to a funeral this past Saturday. (Friends sister passed away of lymphoma). When I was talking to my friends husband my eyes started gushing. I explained to him I wasn't crying… he said he knows all about it. It happened with his sister-in-law (the one who's funeral it was) too.

LadyinBama  maybe that's why my husband rubs my head too. He does it all the time.

tracie23

Marj, I am so happy Wednesday is your last tax!!!!  I am feeling a bit better today..but my eye has been twitching non stop for 2 days.

Lago: we need to find a new cookie for the week?

TifJ

Marjie- i told my DH about yours and he cracked up. Hmmm, maybe I shouldn't have told him cause next time we are at the grocery store he'll embarass me! He loves to do that!

lago

Got it. I haven't tried it yet but it looks really good. Found it last week.

Milk's ooey-gooey double-chocolate cookies
http://www.latimes.com/features/food/la-fo-sos14-2009jan14,0,7127251.story  

Ingredients
• 1/4 pound (4 ounces) unsweetened chocolate
• 4 tablespoons ( 1/2 stick) butter
• 3 eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup flour
• 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 pound bittersweet chocolate (chunks or chips)

Directions

1. In a bowl set over a pot of simmering water, melt the unsweetened chocolate and butter. Remove from the heat and cool slightly.

2. In the bowl of a mixer with a paddle attachment, or in a large bowl using a fork, combine the eggs, vanilla and sugar. Mix just until incorporated and set aside.

3. Sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt into a medium bowl. Set aside.

4. Add the melted chocolate to the egg mixture and mix just until combined. Stir in the sifted dry ingredients and mix just until combined, then stir in the bittersweet chocolate.

5. Cover the batter with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour to chill thoroughly. Heat the oven to 350 degrees.

6. Divide the dough into 18 portions. Grease your hands (to prevent the dough from sticking) and shape the portions into balls. Place the balls on a greased, parchment-lined sheet pan, leaving 2 to 3 inches between each.

7. Bake until the edges of the cookies are just set and the center is still soft, 10 to 12 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through. Place the cookies, still on the parchment, on a rack and cool completely before serving. They will be very soft.

Each cookie: 251 calories; 4 grams protein; 29 grams carbohydrates; 3 grams fiber; 18 grams fat; 9 grams saturated fat; 42 mg. cholesterol; 92 mg. sodium.

Total time: 40 minutes, plus 1 hour chilling time for the batter
Servings: 1 1/2 dozen

crazy4carrots

And if you fancy a mocha flavour, just add a tbsp of instant coffee along with the cocoa! 

Paula1231

As I am snowed in today, I am going to make those chocolate cookies!! 

lago

Paula Let me know how they turn out. I know I don't have any cocoa powder in the house and I'm not sure if I have enough unsweetened chocolate. Ironically the only thing I use the unsweetened chocolate for is my chili.

Adey

Oooo, chocolate in chili... recipe?

lago

Adey you got mail (email that is).

marjie

I went to the library at the cancer centre and got some books on eating throught treatment and beyond.  There's some pretty good recipes and advice that I wish I would have had before!!  Anyway ... here is a no-bake cookie recipe that looks easy and yummy, think I might give it a try:

NO BAKE COOKIES

makes 3 - 3 1/2 dozen

1/2 c graham cracker crumbs

2 1/2 cups old fashioned oatmeal

1/2 c sugar

2 tbsp cocoa

1/2 c skim milk

1/2 c margarine

1/2 c reduced fat peanut butter

1 tsp vanilla extract

In a bowl combine graham cracker crumbs and oatmeal. Set aside. In a saucepan, stir sugar, cocoa, milk and margarine over med heat until dissolved. Bring mixture to a boil and cook for 2 minutes.  Remove from heat, stir in peanut butter and vanilla.  Quickly blend in cracker mixture, stir by hand for a few minutes until thickened.  Drop by teaspoonfuls onto waxed paper.  Refridgerate until firm - store in fridge.

Calories per serving (1) 72, Protein 2g, Carbs 8g, Fat 4g, Cal from fat: 46%, Sat Fat 1g, Dietary Fibre 1g, Cholesterol 0, Sodium 57mg, Diabetic exchange: 0.5 starch, 1 fat.

Book: Eating Well Through Cancer by Holly Clegg & Gerald Miletello, MD

Adey

Duh oh!  Another one to try...  Thanks Marjie.

Lago-- Got it!

marjie

I am actually going to play with mine a bit....I'm thinking of increasing the oats, leaving out the graham crackers crumbs and putting in some toasted flax seeds and adding some powdered skim milk (for protein). Hmmm - you could add some raisins too I would guess but my family would hate me for it.

tracie23

Thanks Marj and Lago for the new cookies.... now I just wish someone would come and bake them for me....

marjie

Don't count on me Tracie...I think I'll need to be out shovelling half the night to make sure I can get to my chemo tomorrow.  Thank goodness for the steroids!

Trisha-Anne

Hello Ladies

I'm back in the land of the living - well most of the way anyway lol.

Marj I'm so happy for you that you have finished with this awful drug.

My next dose will be reduced a bit so I'm hoping the se's will be less next time.  Keep your fingers crossed for me please :-)

Have bought flushable wipes and also some Bepanthon - don't know if you all have it over there - but it's basically a cream for babies with nappy rash - and it has helped a lot.  Also now have ice blocks to suck that put the electrolytes back in your body when you have diareoha, which might help my body fight back a bit.

Just have to keep an eye on my mouth ulcer - have been advised to keep gargling with bi-carb and water to keep it at bay, and if it gets any worse to go straight to a dr.

Love the cookie recepies :-)  when I'm feeling stronger I'll try them.

Trish

xox

Trisha-Anne

Oh - forgot to add

Feeling sorry fo you girls over there - dealing with all that snow!  But spare a thought for us here in Australia - where I am we are battling heat - has been around 100 degrees for the past four days, and up north the biggest cyclone Australia has seen for many years is about to hit the Queensland coast - that's the same state that has just come through the worst flooding in a generation.

Trish

xoxo

lago

Yes Trisha I heard about your issues in Australia. I have another BC cista that has been keeping me informed. Her house was spared the flood since she lives on higher ground. Hope you fared as well.

 Still snowing and blowing here. 12"-20" (30cm-50cm) expected total accumulation.

Here is a video from last night:  Chicago blizzard 2.1.11 

I really wish I took a picture of my hanging light swaying last  night. My building sways in high winds (as most highrise buildings do).

tracie23

Hi Lago, what do you use for the numb hands and feet? I don't have the energy to go back and look  Thanks